- In this assignment, we were asked to do a lab involving pill bugs (also known as roly polies) where we choose one factor to manipulate. We chose color as our factor to manipulate and predicted that the color red will cause the pill bugs to attack each other because the color red causes a Fixed Action Pattern that is natural to all animals. This is the first page of our lab and it just shows the abstract (the purpose of the lab) and the introduction. To start the lab, we had to obtain a few pill bugs outside of school in the dirt. We dug up holes in the soil and put the soil and bugs in a cup. Then we placed a moist paper towel because we already knew pill bugs are attracted to moist areas. To test actions of the bugs, we put them in a plate that had 4 chambers. We closed each opening of the chambers except two and covered those two chambers with green and red construction paper. Then, we waited to see the bugs take action.
- This assignment basically helped us test our hypothesis as this was an early lab assignment. It also helped us figure out whether or not the bugs had FAP's or not. I think this lab was important for understanding of animal behavior and in preparation of the AP exam.
- I now know that the pill bugs had no effect on the color of the ground. The pill bugs in fact just crawled out of the chambers to try to find a moist area because of taxis. I now know that pill bugs are attracted to moist areas which is why the are buried deep in the soil where it receives the least amount of sunlight and is damp.
- In this assignment, we were asked to do a lab that involved an enzyme and a substrate. The substrate we had to use in the lab is amylopectin and the enzyme is amylase which is found in our saliva to break down foods. When these two interact, they create an enzyme-complex substrate that produces maltose, a type of sugar. To complete the lab, we added varying amounts of amylopectin in one test tube and added varying amounts of amylase in another test tube to compare the results.
- This assignment was important for accepting and rejecting a hypothesis. We hypothesized that by adding more amounts of amylopectin, we will produce more maltose. This assignment is just important again for another preparation of the AP exam and for doing a hands on activity in the class.
- I now know that the enzyme and substrate work together to create a product. I now know that enzymes are used to speed up chemical reactions and the enzyme we used here was used to speed up the enzyme-substrate complex to form.